Japanese fish that beat Pokémon video game passes away

Fans mourn the loss of Lala, the fish that found a Pokémon glitch no human could in nearly 20 years.

Between the series’ phenomenal popularity and accessible difficulty level, there are a lot of people who have beaten a Pokémon video game. So ordinarily, the fact that Japanese gamer Lala beat Pokémon Sapphire wouldn’t have been so noteworthy…except for the fact that Lala is a fish.

Lala, a betta owned by Japanese Twitter user/YouTuber Mutekimaru Channel, was part of the four-fish team that completed Sapphire two years ago, via a custom-designed rig that linked the animals’ movements inside their aquarium to controller inputs. In addition to that group honor, Lala also achieved individual fame by finding a glitch in Sapphire that no human being had discovered in the 18 years since the game’s release.

▼ Lala

Sadly, though, Lala’s string of gaming achievements have now come to an end, as this week Mutekimaru Channel announced that Lala has passed away.

【お知らせ】世界で初めてポケットモンスタールビーサファイアの殿堂入りを果たした魚ララが8月下旬に天寿を全うした事を報告します。飼育開始から2年、無事に寿命を迎えることが出来ました。9月より暫く配信をお休みしていましたが本日より再開致します。今後ともよろしくお願いします。 pic.twitter.com/gyOLUmCWHJ

— むてきまるちゃんねる -Mutekimaru Channel- (@Mutekimaru_ch) September 12, 2022

Mutekimaru reports that Lala went peacefully due to natural causes at the end of August. Still, the sense of loss among fans of the fish, and Pokémon in general, is deep, as evidenced by reactions on Japanese Twitter.

“Rest in peace, Miss Lala.”
“Thank you for everything, Lala-sama.”
“That fish is now a part of Pokémon history.”
“Thank you for the wonderful adventures. I’ll never forget you.”
“She was a lovely angel and her gamer skills were as good as a human’s.”
“Proud to say I was watching the live stream when she beat the game.”
“Glory to the Pokémon Master fish!”

Sleep well, Lala, and we have a hunch some gamers will be renaming their Magikarp or other aquatic Pocket Monsters after you when Pokémon Scarlet and Violet comes out later this fall.

Source: Twitter/@Mutekimaru_ch (1, 2)
Images: Twitter/@Mutekimaru_ch
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